AbstractAim: The aim of the present study was to examine role and efficacy of biochemical testing in diagnosing thecause of fluid accumulation.Methods: The observational hospital-based study was carried out at Department of Biochemistry, AnugrahNarayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital (ANMMCH) Gaya, Bihar, India for one year. Data was takenfrom medical records department. All 100 indoor patients who were diagnosed as ascites on the basis of history,physical examination, ultrasonography, and of age >18 years were included in the study after getting theinformed consent. Patients who had a diagnostic paracentesis within 2 weeks (cause was already established),secondary cause of peritonitis and unwilling to participate in the study were excluded.Results: This study included 100 patients with age ranging from 20 to 78 years and majority of patients wereaged between 41-50 years (n=24, 24%), only 9 patients 9% admitted with ascites of the age group between 18-30 years. 62 patients (62%) were male and 38 patients (38%). The most common clinical feature was abdominaldiscomfort, followed by Anorexia, Icterus, Splenomegaly and Hepatomegaly. The most common etiology ofAscites was Liver cirrhosis (39%), followed by Tuberculosis (33%) then Malignancy (9%), and CongestiveHeart Failure (6%). The least common etiology of Ascites was Hypothyroidism (3%). 40 of the 60 exudateswere detected using the traditional cutoff for cell count greater than 500/mm3, but using the cutoff proposed inthe present paper (300 cells/mm3), the detection increased to 49/60. Of the biochemical parameters studied, theAST ratio AF/S (> 0.5) detected the greater number of exudates correctly classified 48/60, while 7 of 40transudates were falsely classified.Conclusion: Ascites due to chronic liver disease was the main finding with etiology supported by laboratoryfindings. Biochemical testing of peritoneal and pleural fluids is carried out widely, although the range of testslikely to be useful is limited in comparison to the repertoire of tests available in a modern biochemistrylaboratory

AbstractAim: The aim of the present study was to examine role and efficacy of biochemical testing in diagnosing thecause of fluid accumulation.Methods: The observational hospital-based study was carried out at Department of Biochemistry, AnugrahNarayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital (ANMMCH) Gaya, Bihar, India for one year. Data was takenfrom medical records department. All 100 indoor patients who were diagnosed as ascites on the basis of history,physical examination, ultrasonography, and of age >18 years were included in the study after getting theinformed consent. Patients who had a diagnostic paracentesis within 2 weeks (cause was already established),secondary cause of peritonitis and unwilling to participate in the study were excluded.Results: This study included 100 patients with age ranging from 20 to 78 years and majority of patients wereaged between 41-50 years (n=24, 24%), only 9 patients 9% admitted with ascites of the age group between 18-30 years. 62 patients (62%) were male and 38 patients (38%). The most common clinical feature was abdominaldiscomfort, followed by Anorexia, Icterus, Splenomegaly and Hepatomegaly. The most common etiology ofAscites was Liver cirrhosis (39%), followed by Tuberculosis (33%) then Malignancy (9%), and CongestiveHeart Failure (6%). The least common etiology of Ascites was Hypothyroidism (3%). 40 of the 60 exudateswere detected using the traditional cutoff for cell count greater than 500/mm3, but using the cutoff proposed inthe present paper (300 cells/mm3), the detection increased to 49/60. Of the biochemical parameters studied, theAST ratio AF/S (> 0.5) detected the greater number of exudates correctly classified 48/60, while 7 of 40transudates were falsely classified.Conclusion: Ascites due to chronic liver disease was the main finding with etiology supported by laboratoryfindings. Biochemical testing of peritoneal and pleural fluids is carried out widely, although the range of testslikely to be useful is limited in comparison to the repertoire of tests available in a modern biochemistrylaboratory